An imaging apparatus forms an image in a print medium, such as paper, by applying an imaging substance, such as ink or toner, to the print medium. The imaging substance may be contained in one or more replaceable supply cartridges. Examples of such replaceable supply cartridges include an ink tank (e.g., ink reservoir), an ink jet printhead cartridge, a toner tank, and a toner cartridge. An ink jet printhead cartridge, for example, includes both an ink tank and an ink jet printhead. A toner cartridge, for example, may include both a toner tank and an electrophotographic drum.
One such imaging apparatus, for example, is an inkjet printer having mounted thereto a plurality of ink tanks, with each ink tank containing a supply of a particular color of ink. In one such ink jet printer, each ink tank is formed integral with an ink jet printhead to form an ink jet printhead cartridge, which is mounted to a printhead carrier. In another such ink jet printer, each ink tank may be mounted to a printing head that is separately mounted to a printhead carrier.
One challenge in an ink jet imaging apparatus, for example, is how to insure that, when printing using removable supply cartridges, the set of supply cartridges are mounted correctly. For example, assume a system having an ink tank that is removably mounted to a printhead that is separately mounted to a carrier. In this example, if the ink tank is not mounted firmly in its proper place with respect to the printhead, the ink-flow circuit will be broken and the printing head may run dry and xease to function correctly.
One approach in monitoring the correct mounting of a supply cartridge is to use an electrical contact system that completes an electrical circuit when the supply cartridge is correctly mounted to the carrier. However, such electrical contact systems typically require complicated wire harnessing systems.